Cartridge insertion assembly

ABSTRACT

A cartridge insertion assembly including apparatus with a pathway formed therein, a cartridge including a cartridge coupling element connectable to an activation mechanism disposed in the apparatus operative to cause a substance contained in the cartridge to be metered out of the cartridge, and a door pivoted to the apparatus that includes a door coupling element arranged with respect to the cartridge such that when the door is in a fully closed position, the door coupling element couples the cartridge coupling element with a coupling element of the activation mechanism.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/272,555 filed Oct. 13, 2011 and entitled CARTRIDGE INSERTION ASSEMBLYFOR DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM and published as U.S. Patent Publication2012/0035546, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/559,563, filed on Sep. 15, 2009 and entitled “CARTRIDGE INSERTIONASSEMBLY FOR DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,157,769.

The contents of all of the above applications are incorporated byreference as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to drug delivery systems, e.g.,external drug pumps, and particularly to an assembly for inserting acartridge, which contains a substance to be administered to a patient,into the drug delivery system.

External drug pumps are typically used to deliver to patients substanceswhich contain large molecules which cannot be digested when administeredorally, such as insulin. Typically, the pump is adhered to the abdomenor chest or other of the patient and delivers the substance to thepatient via a cannula that is inserted into the patient subcutaneously,although the invention described below is not limited to needleadministration of substances.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide an improved assembly forinserting a cartridge, which contains a substance to be administered toa patient, into a drug pump (or any kind of drug delivery system), as isdescribed more in detail hereinbelow. It is noted that the term“cartridge” encompasses any kind of reservoir or container (disposableor not) for a substance that is to be administered to a patient, such asbut not limited to, a vial, ampoule, bottle, pre-filled syringe and thelike, and is not limited to any size or shape.

There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention a cartridge insertion assembly including apparatus with apathway formed therein, a cartridge insertable into the pathway, thecartridge including a cartridge coupling element connectable to anactivation mechanism disposed in the apparatus operative to cause asubstance contained in the cartridge to be metered out of the cartridge,and a door pivoted to the apparatus that includes a door couplingelement arranged with respect to the cartridge such that when the dooris in a fully closed position, the door coupling element couples thecartridge coupling element with a coupling element of the activationmechanism.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a lockinglatch is cantilevered from a base of the apparatus, wherein when thecartridge is fully inserted in the apparatus, the locking latch abutsagainst a rim of the cartridge, thereby locking the cartridge in thepathway.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention when thecartridge is fully inserted in the apparatus, the cartridge abutsagainst a cartridge stopper disposed in the apparatus.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the cartridgeincludes a septum at an end opposite to the cartridge coupling element,and the apparatus includes a hollow needle, wherein when the cartridgeis fully inserted in the apparatus, the needle punctures the septum.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the doorincludes a closure member on an inside surface thereof, the closuremember including one or more inclined ramp members, wherein closing thedoor causes the ramp members to slide and push against the cartridgecoupling element so as to push the cartridge fully into the apparatus.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the door isformed with one or more ribs, which when the door is fully closed, theribs are received in one or more corresponding grooves formed in theapparatus.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the closuremember includes a hub, wherein when the door is fully closed, the hub isfixedly received in a snap member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully fromthe following detailed description taken in conjunction with thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified illustration of apparatus for administering asubstance to a subject, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified illustration of the apparatus of FIG. 1, showinga door of a cartridge insertion assembly in the open position and acartridge poised for insertion into the apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a simplified illustration of the cartridge partially insertedinto the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a simplified illustration of the cartridge partially insertedinto the apparatus, showing components of the cartridge insertionassembly;

FIG. 5 is a simplified illustration of the cartridge fully inserted intothe apparatus up to a cartridge stopper of the cartridge insertionassembly, with the door still open;

FIG. 6 is a simplified illustration of the cartridge fully inserted intothe apparatus and locked in place;

FIG. 7 is a simplified illustration of a locking latch that locks thecartridge in place;

FIG. 8 is a simplified illustration of the inside of the door of thecartridge insertion assembly;

FIG. 9 is a simplified illustration of partially closing the door of thecartridge insertion assembly;

FIG. 10 is a simplified illustration of the door fully closed, but onlyshowing the inner components of the door (e.g., coupling elements) andnot the outside surface of the door itself; and

FIG. 11 is a simplified illustration of the door fully closed, showing asnap that snaps the door to the body of the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is now made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which illustrate apparatus 10for administering a substance (e.g., insulin) to a subject, inaccordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.Typically, apparatus 10 includes a cartridge 12 (FIG. 2) that containsthe substance to be administered to a subject. FIG. 2 illustrates a door14 of a cartridge insertion assembly in the open position and cartridge12 poised for insertion into a pathway 15 in apparatus 10.

As seen in FIG. 2, cartridge 12 includes a cartridge coupling element 16(e.g., a gear) for coupling (e.g., meshing) with an activation mechanism18 (seen in FIG. 4, which typically includes a motor, a battery and acontrol unit) that causes the substance contained in cartridge 12 to bemetered out of cartridge 12 for eventual administration to the patient.(In some embodiments, cartridge coupling element 16 is assembled to anend of a driving screw.) The way in which the activation mechanism worksto meter the substance out of cartridge 12 is not pertinent to thisinvention. By way of example, the activation mechanism may work as in anexternal drug pump of the type described in US Patent Applications20090093792 and 20090093793 or PCT Patent Application PCT/IL2008/001312(published as WO 2009/044401), the disclosures of which are incorporatedherein by reference. However, the invention is not limited to such adrug pump, and may be used for any kind of suitable administration ofsubstances, not just by needle puncture into the patient, but alsotransdermally (wherein the substance is metered by apparatus 10 to atransdermal patch), by spray (wherein the substance is metered byapparatus 10 to a spray nozzle), micro needles array and others.

It is noted that although cartridge 12 is typically a one-use item, theelectronics, batteries and motor and other elements of the system can beused more than once if desired.

As seen in FIG. 3, in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of thepresent invention, door 14 includes a door coupling element 20 (e.g., agear, but could also be any other coupling element for transmittingrotary motion, such as a friction wheel) for effecting coupling (e.g.,meshing) between the cartridge coupling element 16 and a couplingelement 22 (FIG. 2) of the activation mechanism 18, as will be describedmore in detail below.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which illustrates the cartridge 12partially inserted into apparatus 10, showing components of thecartridge insertion assembly. Cartridge 12 has a septum 24 at an endopposite to cartridge coupling element 16. The septum 24 is pierced by ahollow needle 26 so that contents of cartridge 12 flow out of cartridge12 into needle 26 and from needle 26 to an exit port (not shown) foreventual administration to the patient. A cartridge stopper 28, whichmay be made of a rigid material (e.g., plastic) or more preferably aresilient material (e.g., an elastomer or silicone), is provided forarresting movement of cartridge 12 during insertion into apparatus 10and preventing over-insertion of cartridge 12. Cartridge stopper 28 alsoprevents the torque, which is generated by the activation mechanism 18to rotate the driving screw of the cartridge, from rotating cartridge12. The cartridge stopper 28 abuts against a shoulder 30 of cartridge12. FIG. 5 shows cartridge 12 fully inserted into apparatus 10 up tocartridge stopper 28 with door 14 still open.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 6 and 7. The cartridge insertion assemblyof apparatus 10 includes a locking latch 32 which is cantilevered from abase 33 (FIG. 7) of the apparatus 10. While inserting cartridge 12 intoapparatus 10, a rim 34 near cartridge coupling element 16 depresses andslides over locking latch 32. When cartridge 12 is fully inserted intoapparatus 10, rim 34 moves past locking latch 32 and locking latch 32springs back and abuts against rim 34, thereby locking cartridge 12 inplace. The user cannot remove cartridge 12 from apparatus 10.

Reference is now made to FIG. 8, which illustrates the inside of door14. The door coupling element 20 mentioned above is in the middle of theinside of door 14. On one side of element 20 is a hinge member 36 thatpivotally connects (e.g., by snap fit) into a corresponding socket 38(seen in FIG. 10) in the body of apparatus 10. On the other side ofelement 20 is a closure member 40, which is formed with a central hub 42and one or more ramp members 44 (in the illustrated embodiment, twoinclined ramp members 44 extend on either side of hub 42). Even if theuser has not fully inserted cartridge 12 into apparatus 10, the act ofclosing door 14 (see FIG. 9) causes the ramp members 44 to slide andswipe against cartridge coupling element 16. The inclined surfaces oframp members 44 gently push and wedge cartridge coupling element 16 toseat fully into apparatus 10 so that septum 24 is pierced by hollowneedle 26 as described above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

After the cartridge 12 is locked in place, ramp members 44 keep pushingagainst the driving screw to create priming of the drug pump, whereincontents of the cartridge 12 overflow and pressurize into the needle 26and drip out therefrom. This priming process reduces the breaking force(the initial force to remove the plunger after a long storage time) andremoves air bubbles from the fluid path.

The inside of door 14 is formed with one or more ribs 46, which whendoor 14 is fully closed, are received in one or more correspondinggrooves 38 (FIG. 10) formed at the end of the housing of apparatus 10.Ribs 46 seated in grooves 48 provide resistance to axial pull-out forcesthat may be acting on cartridge 12 and door 14 during operation ofapparatus 10.

FIG. 10 illustrates door 14 fully closed. Door coupling element 20couples between cartridge coupling element 16 of the cartridge andcoupling element 22 of the activation mechanism, so that the activationmechanism can now cause the substance contained in the cartridge to bemetered out of the cartridge for eventual administration to the patient.

Reference is now made to FIG. 11. When door 14 is fully closed, hub 42of closure member 40 snaps and is fixedly received in a snap member 50(curved snap member) so that door 14 is properly secured to the body ofapparatus 10.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the presentinvention is not limited by what has been particularly shown anddescribed hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present inventionincludes both combinations and subcombinations of the features describedhereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which wouldoccur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoingdescription and which are not in the prior art.

I claim:
 1. An apparatus for administering a liquid medication to asubject, comprising: a housing having an opening; a surface of saidhousing configured to adhere to a skin of the subject; a cartridgecontaining the liquid medication, inserted longitudinally through saidopening into said housing, the cartridge being surrounded on at leastthree sides by said housing, a long axis of said cartridge beingsubstantially parallel to said surface, and said long axis beingpositioned off center toward a first side of the apparatus; a needleretracted inside said housing positioned toward a second side of theapparatus opposite said first side, said needle releasable through saidsurface; and a locking latch cantilevered from said housing, saidlocking latch being in engagement with the cartridge preventing saidcartridge from exiting said housing when said cartridge is fullyinserted into said housing; wherein said cartridge includes a proximalend having a septum located thereon from which the liquid medication isdischarged, and wherein said cartridge is inserted into said housingwith said proximal end inward, said needle puncturing said septum uponfull insertion of said cartridge into said opening.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising a door at least partially closing saidopening.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said door is positionedsuch that when said cartridge is inserted in said opening, closing saiddoor pushes said cartridge fully into the apparatus.
 4. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said cartridge further includes a rim on a distal endopposite said proximal end.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising a window through said housing, said cartridge being visiblethrough said window.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: anactivation mechanism for activating the administering of the liquidmedication, the activation mechanism located in said housingsubstantially opposite said surface.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein said surface extends beyond said housing.
 8. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein said surface is substantially rectangular.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said long axis of said cartridge issubstantially parallel to a long axis of said housing.
 10. An apparatusfor administering a liquid medication to a subject, comprising: ahousing; a surface of said housing configured to adhere to a skin of thesubject; a cartridge containing the liquid medication surrounded on atleast three sides by said housing, a long axis of said cartridgesubstantially parallel to said surface, said long axis positioned offcenter toward first side of the apparatus; a needle retracted insidesaid housing positioned toward a second side of the apparatus oppositesaid first side, said needle releasable through said surface; an openingin said housing, wherein said cartridge is inserted longitudinallythrough said opening into said housing; a door at least partiallyclosing said opening, said door including a ramp positioned such thatwhen said cartridge is inserted in said opening, closing said doorcauses said ramp to slide and push against said cartridge so as to pushsaid cartridge fully into the apparatus.